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Sudan war crime charges expected Sudan war crime charges expected
(about 2 hours later)
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is expected to seek the arrest of Sudan's president for alleged genocide and crimes against humanity. The Sudanese president is expected to be accused of genocide and crimes against humanity by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Luis Moreno-Ocampo is set to recommend charging Omar al-Bashir in a report to judges at The Hague on an investigation into war crimes in the Darfur region. Luis Moreno-Ocampo is set to recommend charging Omar al-Bashir in a report to judges at The Hague on investigations into alleged war crimes in Darfur.
The Sudanese government has warned the move will undermine peace in Darfur. Sudan's government has warned the move will undermine the peace process there.
This will be the first time the court's prosecutor has tried to make a case against a sitting head of state.This will be the first time the court's prosecutor has tried to make a case against a sitting head of state.
A three-judge panel will take at least six weeks to decide whether to indict the president. The three-judge panel is expected to take at least six weeks to decide whether to indict the president.
Sudan does not recognise the ICC and has refused to hand over two suspects who Mr Moreno-Ocampo charged last year, Humanitarian Affairs Minister Ahmad Harun and militia leader Ali Kushayb.Sudan does not recognise the ICC and has refused to hand over two suspects who Mr Moreno-Ocampo charged last year, Humanitarian Affairs Minister Ahmad Harun and militia leader Ali Kushayb.
It has also labelled Mr Moreno-Ocampo a criminal, and warned that any indictment could stall peace talks and spread mayhem throughout the country.It has also labelled Mr Moreno-Ocampo a criminal, and warned that any indictment could stall peace talks and spread mayhem throughout the country.
We condemn in the strongest possible terms this move by this criminal Ocampo Abdalmahmood MohamadSudanese representative to UN Sudan braces for charges' impactProfile: Sudan's Omar al-Bashir
The BBC's Laura Trevelyan at The Hague says that while some will welcome this move as a victory for justice, others fear it will undermine the peace process in Darfur and spark further violence.The BBC's Laura Trevelyan at The Hague says that while some will welcome this move as a victory for justice, others fear it will undermine the peace process in Darfur and spark further violence.
Alert raised The UN estimates that some 300,000 people have died as a result of the conflict in Darfur since 2003, while more than two million people have fled their homes.
Sudan's government is accused of mobilising Arab militias to attack black African civilians in Darfur, after rebels took up arms in 2003 - charges it denies.
'Disastrous'
Mr Moreno-Ocampo's office has said he will submit to the ICC on Monday "evidence on crimes committed in the whole of Darfur over the last five years" and seek to charge an individual or individuals, but gave no further details.Mr Moreno-Ocampo's office has said he will submit to the ICC on Monday "evidence on crimes committed in the whole of Darfur over the last five years" and seek to charge an individual or individuals, but gave no further details.
We condemn in the strongest possible terms this move by this criminal Ocampo Abdalmahmood MohamadSudanese representative to UN Sudan braces for charges' impact
The prosecutor said last month that Sudan's "entire state apparatus" was involved in an organised campaign to attack civilians in Darfur, and that he would present judges with evidence implicating senior government officials.The prosecutor said last month that Sudan's "entire state apparatus" was involved in an organised campaign to attack civilians in Darfur, and that he would present judges with evidence implicating senior government officials.
Thousands of pro-government protestors took to the streets
On Sunday, thousands of people rallied in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to show their support for Mr Bashir and to denounce the anticipated charges.On Sunday, thousands of people rallied in the Sudanese capital Khartoum to show their support for Mr Bashir and to denounce the anticipated charges.
"With our souls, with our blood we die for Bashir," the demonstrators chanted outside an office where the president was chairing an emergency meeting."With our souls, with our blood we die for Bashir," the demonstrators chanted outside an office where the president was chairing an emergency meeting.
Sudan's representative at the United Nations told the BBC that any charges against Mr Bashir would be disastrous for the security and stability of Sudan.Sudan's representative at the United Nations told the BBC that any charges against Mr Bashir would be disastrous for the security and stability of Sudan.
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this move by this criminal Ocampo," said Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad."We condemn in the strongest possible terms this move by this criminal Ocampo," said Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad.
Thousands of pro-government protestors took to the streets
The ruling National Congress party has meanwhile warned of "more violence and blood" in Darfur.The ruling National Congress party has meanwhile warned of "more violence and blood" in Darfur.
Thousands of UN and AU peacekeepers are deployed in Darfur and a spokeswoman for the force has said the security alert for its staff has been raised. But a leader of one of the factions of the Sudan Liberation Army rebel group told the BBC it would welcome any action by the ICC.
"The regime in Khartoum committed a big crime… We think the ICC is going the right way," Abdul Khalil said.
Alert raised
UN officials are concerned of possible revenge attacks against peacekeepers and aid workers in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan, if moves are made against President Bashir.
A UN spokeswoman said it had raised the security alert level for its staff in Darfur.
The joint United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid), which has 9,000 troops, has been struggling to contain the violence.The joint United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid), which has 9,000 troops, has been struggling to contain the violence.
The joint UN-AU force has been struggling to bring peace to the region
It has raised the security alert for its staff to "level four", which stops short of evacuating all staff, but relocates foreign workers who are not directly involved in relief or security operations.It has raised the security alert for its staff to "level four", which stops short of evacuating all staff, but relocates foreign workers who are not directly involved in relief or security operations.
UN officials fear that anti-government groups in the south and the west will be emboldened if they perceive the president as weakened. John O'Shea, director of Irish aid agency Goal, warned the Sudanese government and its supporters not to seek revenge against international aid agencies and peacekeepers for the ICC's moves.
The Arab Janjaweed militia has been accused of ethnic cleansing and genocide against black African civilians, after rebel groups took up arms in Darfur in 2003. "Should the Sudanese government take that type of action, they're in a way shooting themselves in the foot," he told the BBC.
The UN estimates that some 300,000 people have died as a result of the conflict. More than two million people have fled their villages. "The NGO community and the UN agencies have done a very good job in the context of looking after hundreds of thousands of vulnerable and desperately poor people."
The government has been accused of supporting the campaign and protecting those responsible for atrocities. It denies the charges.
The ICC was set up in 2002 as the world's first permanent war crimes court.The ICC was set up in 2002 as the world's first permanent war crimes court.
Other international courts have previously indicted Serbia's President Slobodan Milosevic and President Charles Taylor of Liberia while they were in office.